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EFFECT OF THE 
JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION 



ON THE 



FOREIGN COMMERCE OF THE 
UNITED STATES 



AND 



Incidental Remarks on the Subject 



ADDRESS MADE IN WASHINGTON ON 
JANUARY 15, 1907 

BEFORE THE NATIONAL CONVENTION 

FOR THE 

EXTENSION OF THE FOREIGN COMMERCE 
OF THE UNITED STATES 



By 

N. VELOZ-GOmCOA 

Special Commissioner of the Jamestown Ejtposition 
to Latin America 



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EFFECT OF THE 
JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION 

ON THE 

FOREIGN COMMERCE OF THE 
UNITED STATES 

AND 

Incidental Remarks on the Subject 



ADDRESS MADE IN WASHINGTON ON 
JANUARY 15, ]907 

BEFORE THE NATIONAL CONVENTION 

FOR THE 

EXTENSION OF THE FOREIGN COMMERCE 
OF THE UNITED STATES 



By 
N/VELOZ-GOITICOA 



iL'^' 



Special Commissioner of the Jeimestown Exposition 
to Latin America 



By TraosfoCi 






Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen. 

I duly appreciate the honor conferred upon me to 
appear before this important National Convention as one 
of the Delegates of the Norfolk Board of Trade, and as 
alternate for Governor Barton Meyers of the Jamestown 
Exposition, unavoidably prevented from being present, 
who imder the circumstances, at a short notice, requested 
me to prepare an address in relation to the effect of the 
Jamestown Exposition on the foreign commerce of the 
United States. 

This is a subject admitting of ample development, but 
time being limited, I shall confine my endeavours to a 
brief sketch of the origin and characteristic features of 
expositions in general, because from time immemorial the 
. welfare of nations and the expansion of universal commerce , 
domestic and foreign, has been due, in a great measure, 
to the impelling power of national and international 
world's fairs— outlining at the same time in a syntetic 
manner the scope of the Jamestown Exposition and the 
evident stimulus it will put in action to increase, in a gen- 
eral way, the foreign trade of the United States, and par- 
ticularly that with Latin American coimtries, and con- 
cluding with a few remarks on what appeals to me as 
tending furthermore to develop the mercantile relations 
of the United States. 



HISTORICAL. 

From the earliest ages the annals of history record the 
trading instinct as a peculiar and distinguishing trait of 
the human being. 

Ancient Times. 

Foreign trade was established in the Salomonic era and 
the Maccabees convened at regular periods their fairs at 
Jerusalem, in order to encourage and extend their trade 
intercourse. 

The Phoenicians, who for so many centuries were the 
leading merchants of the world, attended the fairs of 
lower Egypt and those of the principal seaports of the 
ancient world because they considered that they enhanced 
their trade which at the time was of great expansion. 

Among the ancient Greeks, fairs were generally cele- 
brated in connection with popular gatherings and the 
Olympic games. 

African nations, whether in a civilized or savage stage, 
had the commercial instinct strongly developed, and for 
centuries the Syrian and Arabian caravans held periodical 
markets at Cairo and at stated places through the Congo 
and river Niger regions. 

The greatest Arabian fair was held at Mecca during the 
time of the annual pilgrimage to the Moslem holy city. 

In India, even at the present day, local traffic is carried 
on at the world-renowned bazaars which are permanent 
markets, and regular recurring fairs are held at specified 
places. 



The ancient fairs of Europe, as a rule, were established 
in connection with the celebration of religious festivals. 
These gatherings were very useful before and during the 
middle ages as an efficient means to bring people from 
distant places into closer contact, affording them more- 
over good opportunities to get better acquainted and 
giving them the chance to compare their respective com- 
modities and learn their mutual commercial wants. 

The first fairs of which there is any record in England 
were held in the third century and even at the present day 
her coimtry-fairs are not institutions of the past. 

MODERN TIMES. 

Europe. 

Of the great world's fairs of modem times the first was 
opened in London in 1851 at the Crystal Palace, a build- 
ing of great dimensions especially erected for the purpose 
and afterwards removed in sections to Sydenham, where 
it is now located. 

French fairs were originally held by permission of the 
Norman conquerors and later expositions were held at 
very many different places. 

In modem times France has held five great world's fairs 
in Paris, from 1855 to 1899, which gives an average period 
of eleven years between each. At the last-mentioned fair 
the United States made a most creditable show of its im- 
mense resoiuces, which was a great revelation to a vast 
majority of Europeans and was conducive both to open 
new markets to American commodities and to increase 



the volume of the export to those markets with which 
commercial intercom'se was already in activity. 

In Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Hol- 
land several noteworthy world's fairs have been held in 
different epochs and in many cities. 

America. 

In what we have learned to call our own Western 
Hemisphere, in the pre-historic times of America, fairs 
were held by the native tribes of Mexico, Central and 
South America, with the exception, on this latter part of 
the continent, of the Caribs Guarani, and Basileiwho,due 
to their migratory and somewhat nomadic habits, had 
not yet passed in the sixteenth century beyond the primi- 
tive stages of aboriginal barter. 

In modem times, in this great and mighty nation, 
which ranks to-day foremost among the first-rate Powers 
of the Universe, here in the United States of America, 
the word fair is generally applied to agricultural, com- 
mercial and industrial exhibitions. 

The first American agricultural fair was held in Wash- 
ington in 1804, that is to say, 103 years ago, and was re- 
peated every six months for a period of years. Since 
then the fair has become a recognized American institu- 
tion. 

First American Internationai. Exposition. 

The first American International Exposition took place 
in New York in 1853, followed by one at Philadelphia in 
1865, ^^^ from that time eight lesser expositions have 



been celebrated at different cities during a period com- 
prised between 1884 and 1905. 

The Philadelphia World's Fair held in 1876 in com- 
memoration of the hundredth anniversary of the signing 
of the Declaration of Independence deserves especial 
mention. It was, however, thrown into the shade by 
the Chicago Columbian Exposition held in 1893 in cele- 
bration of the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery 
of America by Columbus. 

At Buffalo, N. Y. was held in 1901 the Pan-American 
Exposition to commemorate the birth of the twentieth 
century by endeavoring to bring into closer friendly and 
commercial relations the people of Latin America and 
the United States. This exposition was successful in the 
attainment of its object. 

The great St. Louis World's Fair of 1904 was conceived 
in a vast scale and carried out in a most magnificent 
style. European countries took a prominent part in it 
and some Latin American countries were represented, 
notably Mexico and Brazil, the costly building of the 
latter being removed in sections to its present site at Rio 
de Janeiro where it received the name of " Palacio Monroe'' 
and served as a meeting place for the Third Conference of 
American Republics. It was in this palace where Secre- 
tary Root delivered on July 31st last the most transcen- 
dental and memorable speech, from any standpoint, 
that has ever been made by any Secretary of State of 
the United States of America with reference to Latin 
America. 



8 

THE JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION. 

Its Scope. 

For the purpose of celebrating the Ter-Centenary of 
the establishment of the first permanent English Colony 
in the Northern half of the Western Hemisphere, there 
will be held the Jamestown International Exposition 
from April 26 to November 30 of the present year. 

Historical Celebration. 

All the Governments of the world have been invited 
by President Roosevelt, through the Department of 
State, to commemorate this great historical event by 
sending officers and vessels of their navies, and represen- 
tations of their armies to participate in the greatest 
peaceful gathering of this kind that has ever been re- 
corded in the history of the universe. 

This invitation has been accepted by practically all the 
nations of both hemispheres and in conjunction and 
accord with this friendly meeting there will be held a 
great International, Historical, Commercial, and Indus- 
trial Exhibition. 

Special Invitation to Latin America. 

A special invitation was extended by the Exposition 
Management to the Governments and peoples of Latin 
America to exhibit their great natural wealth and manu- 
factured products. 



Their Attendance. 

Of the twenty Latin American Republics, fifteen will 
be represented either by delegations from their armies 
and navies, or by creditable displays of their natural re- 
sources, suitably housed either in special buildings they 
will erect for this purpose in a certain portion of the 
Exposition grounds, or in separate booths in a convenient 
section that has been set apart to this effect in one of the 
Exposition Buildings. 

EFFECT OF THE JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION ON 
AMERICAN COMMERCE. 

In the same manner as former Expositions have stimu- 
lated the trade relations of the United States with foreign 
countries, the Jamestown Exposition, — where all the agri- 
cultural, commercial, and industrial products of the 
United States will be conveniently displayed by practi- 
cally all the States of the Federal Union, — will serve as an 
object lesson not only to the foreign delegates of the 
better cultured classes who will attend the naval and 
military celebration, but to all other alien visitors, all 
of whom will surely describe to their fellow-countrymen 
on their return to their respective homes, the wonderful 
progress they have seen exhibited at Jamestown of the 
agricultural and other American commercial commodi- 
ties and the trade possibilities resulting therefrom. 

The Jamestown Exposition has the additional advan- 
tage over all former American World's Fairs in the fact 
that within a given radius it can be more conveniently 



10 

reached by a much larger number of millions of people, 
both from the United States and from abroad. 

All these attendant conditions will undoubtedly be 
conducive to considerable expansion of the domestic and 
foreign commerce of the United States, and will produce 
the most profitable effect on the latter commerce. 

On the other hand, Latin America will be represented 
at Jamestown by a much larger number of countries than 
has ever taken part in any previous American World's 
Fair, and the fact of the ready response of said countries 
to the efforts of the Jamestown Exposition to secure their 
attendance has been most gratifying to the management, 
as it was only commenced three months ago, and the par- 
ticipation of practically all is already an accomplished 
fact. 

COMMUNITY OF INTERESTS WITH LATIN 

AMERICA. 

As the community of interests between the United 
States and Latin America is a subject of the most weighty 
and vast importance, especially at the present moment, 
it seems pertinent to give a synoptical view of the possi- 
bilities of greater commercial development between the 
United States of America and the Commonwealth of 
Mexico, Central America, the West Indies, and South 
America. 

At the outset we are confronted with the following 
facts : 

The Western Hemisphere covers an area of about 
15,800,000 square miles, and has a population of 
149,000,000 inhabitants. 



11 

The twenty Latin American Republics, taken as a 
social nucleus, possess 53 per cent, of the total area of 
our hemisphere, and the United States 22 per cent. 

As a congregate grouping the United States represents 
54 per cent, of the whole population of the New World, 
and Latin America 41 per cent. 

In this demotic aggroupment 59 per cent, speak the 
Anglo-Saxon language, and 41 per cent, those of Latin 
origin, therefore, the Latin genetic contingent in America 
holds more than one-half of the total area of the Western 
Hemisphere, and both as to population and language 
represents over two-fifths of the whole unit. 

The value of the aggregate annual volume of the United 
States commerce amounts to about three thousand million 
dollars, and its commerce as a whole shows a favorable 
export balance of five hundred million dollars a year. 

The United States imports yearly 32 per cent, of the 
total exports of Latin America, but only sends there 14 
per cent of what those countries import from abroad. 

Actual Status of Trade with Latin America. 

Therefore the actual status of the trade relations be- 
tween the United States and Latin American countries 
may be briefly summarized as follows: 

The United States exports to those countries 425 mil- 
lion dollars a year and receives from them during the same 
period only 176 million. Consequently the United States 
is absolutely dependent on Latin America for the supply 
of their tropical products and raw materials in general, 
and the demands of the former's great manufacturing 
interests for fresh supplies are constantly increasing. 



12 

Reciprocal Trade Devei^opments. 

Reciprocal trade development could be attained if the 
United States endeavors to increase its exportation by 
offering a considerable part of the surplus products of its 
soil and industries, under the most favorable conditions, 
from any point of view, to the Latin American markets — 
which produce these supplies, some of which markets are, 
to a certain extent, still undeveloped — and makes stren- 
ous efforts to encourage, by all practicable means, mutual 
profitable exchange of merchandise, because it is a well 
known fact that industrial movement depends upon an 
intensive law of progression and the different systems 
of transactions rest nowadays on the fundamental modern 
basis of barter. 

Ignored in Peace. 

It is obvious that very important interests are at stake 
and that for this reason the American people ought to 
delay no longer in making efforts to become thoroughly 
conversant with the needs, methods, resources, state of af- 
fairs, actual and probable development of all Latin American 
countries, and bear constantly in mind that the prejudice 
generally prevailing as to many things concerning the 
majority of the Republics which lie to the south of the 
United States is mainly due to the fact that they are 
rarely mentioned, except in connection with some internal 
political disturbance or great national calamity, and in- 
sufficient attention is paid to their periods of tranquillity, 
to their prosperity or the real stage of progress they have 
attained. All impartial observers are, however, bound to 



13 

assert that in the latter respect a few of these countries 
have been seriously handicapped by adverse and inevita- 
ble circumstances of environment, but their social refine- 
ment and general intellectual status have reached remark- 
able standards and their commercial development has 
been as a rule very rapid and in some instances wonderful, 
although not one of these coimtries has yet compassed one 
century of independent political existence. 

This erroneous idea which generally prevails regarding 
the chronic state of instability of their internal affairs and 
other misleading notions have, in a great measure, been 
conducive to retarding closer and more important com- 
mercial intercourse between the United States and lyatin 

America. 

The Late Conventions. 

History records many efforts made toward the solidarity 
of American interests; for instance, Bolivar convened 
the Congress of Panama, in 1826, for this purpose. The 
First Pan-American Conference, 1889-90, met principally 
to promote the prosperity of the several American States, 
and created the International Union of American Repub- 
lics for the collection and distribution of commercial 
information, which is represented by the International 
Bvireau of the American Republics, the utility of which is 
fully recognized. 

The Second International Conference of American Re- 
publics, held in Mexico 190 1-2, had identical aims in view. 
In conformity with some of its resolutions the three 
International American Conferences, called the Coffee 
Commission, the Customs Congress, and the Sanitary 



14 

Convention, assembled in New York and Washington, 
1902-3, and other important poHtical and economic 
measures were adopted. The Second International Sani- 
tary Convention of the American Republics was held in 
Washington in 1905. 

The Third Pan-American Conference has just been held 
at Rio de Janeiro and among other important measures 
tendig to the same object the scope of the International 
Bureau of the American Republics has been enlarged. 

The Honorable John Barrett, who was so prominently 
and creditably identified with the St. Louis World's 
Fair and has been American Minister to Asia and to 
several Latin American Republics, is now Director of 
this international institution, and is admirably adapted 
to infuse new life to it, due to the high standard of his 
intellectual culture, great executive ability, and other 
sterling characteristics. 

Secretary Root has secured the means to erect a perma- 
nent and magnificent home for the Bureau through the 
very generous endowment he obtained from the greatest 
philanthropist of the epoch, Mr. Andrew Carnegie. 

Efforts to Consolidate Friendship. 

All these noble efforts are intended to consolidate the 
political and social amity, and tend to the constant in- 
crease of the commercial relations between the Republics 
of the Western world. 

The National Association of Manufacturers of New 
York, The Philadelphia Commercial Museums, and the 
American Academy of Political and Social Science of the 



15 

latter city deserve especial mention for their indefati- 
gable contribution toward the extension of the foreign 
trade of the United States. 

The marvellous growth of the latter 's general commerce 
due to the facilities of transportation, has developed the 
great agricultural and industrial centers and created 
power to produce and gather the national products for 
manufacture and conveyance to the sea coast. 

Easy means of transportation from the American sea- 
boards to those of Latin America will inimensely improve 
the trade relations with said group of countries whose 
balance of commerce is now obviously adverse to the 
United States, because otherwise, taken as a whole, the 
superior and many ways of communication of the United 
States, its wealth amounting to 107 thousand million dol- 
lars, its collosal financial strength, the shrewd strenuousness 
of the present ethnical type, resulting from heterogeneous 
elements, called the American citizen, with his wonderful 
energy and enterprising spirit, are factors which from the 
solid and substantial foundation on which rests the foreign 
trade of the United States, and are powerful elements in 
constant cooperation, to ensure the enviable position it 
has attained and to guarantee a future of ever-increasing 
expansion of its foreign commerce. 

Before concluding I desire to thank the National Con- 
vention for having afforded me this opportunity of address- 
ing it on the salutary effect which the Jamestown Exposi- 
tion will have on the foreign commerce of the United 
States and of making a few incidental remarks on the 
subject. 



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